Four teams left. One goal. One ball. Well, there probably are a few extra balls lying around the Caesars Superdome, just in case. Point is, there’s going to be a men’s college basketball champion crowned in New Orleans.
First, however, who will win the semifinal games Saturday? In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we started with that. The answer most commonly given was Kansas (beating Villanova) and Duke (beating North Carolina).
We also asked you to predict a champ because, hey, that’s what this whole madness deal is all about. Our respondents favored Kansas most, but only by a narrow margin.
Lastly, we asked about Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski: Would you like to see him win on his way out the door and into retirement?
“Why not?” @19RoLo67 commented.
“Chicago connections are sometimes diminished by circumstances,” @bsdtectr wrote a bit cryptically.
And then there’s @Hanksdad1027:
“Screw Coach K. Go Heels!”
Score one for the opposite of Hallmark-card sentimentality. On to the polls:
Poll No. 1: It’s Kansas-Villanova and Duke-North Carolina in Saturday’s NCAA Tournament semifinals. Pick your winners.
Time again for a Final Four edition of “Polling Place.” Let us hear from you! Selected comments will appear in Saturday's paper.
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 1, 2022
Poll No. 1: It’s Kansas-Villanova and Duke-North Carolina in Saturday’s NCAA Tournament semifinals. Pick your winners.
Upshot: Kansas is the only No. 1 seed still standing. Duke is, without question, the most talented team in New Orleans. No, smarty pants, that doesn’t include the Pelicans. (Or does it?) In other words, the Jayhawks and Blue Devils are the semifinal favorites as indicated not just here but also at your friendly neighborhood point-spread dealer’s and wherever betting lines are sold.
Poll No. 2: And your national champion?
Poll No. 2: And your national champion?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 1, 2022
Upshot: “Rock Chalk, Jayhawk,” yes, but in betting terms? The Jayhawks aren’t the chalk. It’s Duke that happens to have the best odds to win the whole bag of marbles. But good on you, voters, for taking a different stance. It’s way more fun that way.
Poll No. 3: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, a Chicago native, is retiring after the Final Four. Would you like to see him win it all one last time?
Poll No. 3: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, a Chicago native, is retiring after the Final Four. Would you like to see him win it all one last time?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 1, 2022
Upshot: Have we mentioned Hank’s dad’s thoughts on the matter? Oh, yeah, we did. Never mind. Seriously, though, a two-to-one anti-Krzyzewski vote seems a tad harsh. If the great Coach K sees this, he might not un-retire years from now, move to Evanston and lead Northwestern to its first national championship.
